Panthers fire head coach Rhule after poor start
The team announced the move a day after the Panthers were routed 37-15 at home by San Francisco.
Rhule will be replaced on an interim basis by defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach Steve Wilks, a member of the Panthers' staff from 2012-17 who went 3-13 in 2018 as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He returned to Carolina's staff in February.
Rhule had revamped college teams at Temple and Baylor, but was unable to work the same magic at the professional level.
He was signed to a seven-year deal worth $62m (£56m) in 2020, but struggled to five-win campaigns in his first two seasons with the Panthers.
Carolina went 1-27 in games where the club surrendered 17 or more points, including 25 consecutive losses, as the team struggled offensively during Rhule's tenure, among the NFL's worst and points and yardage per game.
Rhule began with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback and switched to Sam Darnold last year, but he struggled with injuries. The team hoped to improve this season behind Baker Mayfield but has continued to misfire offensively.
